友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
恐怖书库 返回本书目录 加入书签 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 『收藏到我的浏览器』

lavengro-第163部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!



'the figure will be of wood for no other reason; I assure you; he! 

he!'



'You should place another statue on the right。'



'Perhaps we shall;' said the man in black; 'but we know of no one 

amongst the philologists of Italy; nor; indeed; of the other 

countries inhabited by the faithful; worthy to sit parallel in 

effigy with our illustrissimo; when; indeed; we have conquered 

these regions of the perfidious by bringing the inhabitants thereof 

to the true faith; I have no doubt that we shall be able to select 

one worthy to bear him company … one whose statue shall be placed 

on the right hand of the library; in testimony of our joy at his 

conversion; for; as you know; 〃There is more joy;〃 etc。'



'Wood?' said I。



'I hope not;' said the man in black; 'no; if I be consulted as to 

the material for the statue; I should strongly recommend bronze。'



And when the man in black had said this; he emptied his second 

tumbler of its contents; and prepared himself another。







CHAPTER XCIV







Prerogative … Feeling of gratitude … A long history … Alliterative 

style … Advantageous specimen … Jesuit benefice … Not sufficient … 

Queen Stork's tragedy … Good sense … Grandeur and gentility … 

Ironmonger's daughter … Clan Mac…Sycophant … Lickspittles … A 

curiosity … Newspaper editors … Charles the Simple … High…flying 

ditty … Dissenters … Lower classes … Priestley's house … Saxon 

ancestors … Austin … Renovating glass … Money … Quite original。



'SO you hope to bring these regions again beneath the banner of the 

Roman See?' said I; after the man in black had prepared the 

beverage; and tasted it。



'Hope!' said the man in black; 'how can we fail?  Is not the Church 

of these regions going to lose its prerogative?'



'Its prerogative?'



'Yes; those who should be the guardians of the religion of England 

are about to grant Papists emancipation; and to remove the 

disabilities from Dissenters; which will allow the Holy Father to 

play his own game in England。'



On my inquiring how the Holy Father intended to play his game; the 

man in black gave me to understand that he intended for the present 

to cover the land with temples; in which the religion of 

Protestants would be continually scoffed at and reviled。



On my observing that such behaviour would savour strongly of 

ingratitude; the man in black gave me to understand that if I 

entertained the idea that the See of Rome was ever influenced in 

its actions by any feeling of gratitude I was much mistaken; 

assuring me that if the See of Rome in any encounter should chance 

to be disarmed; and its adversary; from a feeling of magnanimity; 

should restore the sword which had been knocked out of its hand; 

the See of Rome always endeavoured on the first opportunity to 

plunge the said sword into its adversary's bosom; conduct which the 

man in black seemed to think was very wise; and which he assured me 

had already enabled it to get rid of a great many troublesome 

adversaries; and would; he had no doubt; enable it to get rid of a 

great many more。



On my attempting to argue against the propriety of such behaviour; 

the man in black cut the matter short by saying that if one party 

was a fool he saw no reason why the other should imitate it in its 

folly。



After musing a little while; I told him that emancipation had not 

yet passed through the legislature; and that perhaps it never 

would; reminding him that there was often many a slip between the 

cup and the lip; to which observation the man in black agreed; 

assuring me; however; that there was no doubt that emancipation 

would be carried; inasmuch as there was a very loud cry at present 

in the land … a cry of 'tolerance;' which had almost frightened the 

Government out of its wits; who; to get rid of the cry; was going 

to grant all that was asked in the way of toleration; instead of 

telling the people to 'hold their nonsense;' and cutting them down 

provided they continued bawling longer。



I questioned the man in black with respect to the origin of this 

cry; but he said; to trace it to its origin would require a long 

history; that; at any rate; such a cry was in existence; the chief 

raisers of it being certain of the nobility; called Whigs; who 

hoped by means of it to get into power; and to turn out certain 

ancient adversaries of theirs called Tories; who were for letting 

things remain IN STATU QUO; that these Whigs were backed by a party 

amongst the people called Radicals; a specimen of whom I had seen 

in the public…house; a set of fellows who were always in the habit 

of bawling against those in place; 'and so;' he added; 'by means of 

these parties; and the hubbub which the Papists and other smaller 

sects are making; a general emancipation will be carried; and the 

Church of England humbled; which is the principal thing which the 

See of Rome cares for。'



On my telling the man in black that I believed that; even among the 

high dignitaries of the English Church; there were many who wished 

to grant perfect freedom to religions of all descriptions; he said 

he was aware that such was the fact; and that such a wish was 

anything but wise; inasmuch as; if they had any regard for the 

religion they professed; they ought to stand by it through thick 

and thin; proclaiming it to be the only true one; and denouncing 

all others; in an alliterative style; as dangerous and damnable; 

whereas; by their present conduct; they were bringing their 

religion into contempt with the people at large; who would never 

continue long attached to a Church the ministers of which did not 

stand up for it; and likewise cause their own brethren; who had a 

clearer notion of things; to be ashamed of belonging to it。  'I 

speak advisedly;' said he; in continuation; 'there is one 

Platitude。'



'And I hope there is only one;' said I; 'you surely would not 

adduce the likes and dislikes of that poor silly fellow as the 

criterions of the opinions of any party?'



'You know him;' said the man in black; 'nay; I heard you mention 

him in the public…house; the fellow is not very wise; I admit; but 

he has sense enough to know that; unless a Church can make people 

hold their tongues when it thinks fit; it is scarcely deserving the 

name of a Church; no; I think that the fellow is not such a very 

bad stick; and that upon the whole he is; or rather was; an 

advantageous specimen of the High Church English clergy; who; for 

the most part; so far from troubling their heads about persecuting 

people; only think of securing their tithes; eating their heavy 

dinners; puffing out their cheeks with importance on country 

justice benches; and occasionally exhibiting their conceited wives; 

hoyden daughters; and gawky sons at country balls; whereas 

Platitude … '



'Stop;' said I; 'you said in the public…house that the Church of 

England was a persecuting Church; and here 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 2 2
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!